The ETUC Executive Committee believes that the rush to war in Iraq is not justified and that the legitimate goal of the international community to disarm the Saddam Hussein regime can be effectively persued by other means and in the framework of the United Nations. The UN inspections are delivering the first concrete results and therefore they must be allowed the resources and the time necessary to bring about the total elimination of the arms of mass destruction detained by Iraq.

To this end, and in compliance with the UN Resolutions, Iraq must provide prompt and unrestricted cooperation with the inspections.

The European Union and Governments need to act together under the conviction so largely shared by European citizens that war is not inevitable and that all possible attempts must be made to spare the human suffering and the devastation which it fately entails, including its negative consequences on the economy, the last thing Europe needs at this point in time.

Work stoppage Friday 14 March at noon

To convey this message, the Executive Committee calls on all ETUC affiliates to organise work stoppages on Friday 14 March at noon as well as to take part in the mass demonstrations planned all over Europe on March 15.

In the case of the outbreak of war, they will immediately reconvene to decide upon further actions.